How Do I Organize My Medical Records at Home?

Studies show that people who keep personal health records enjoy better health. Researchers believe this is because the individual and caregivers can gain a better overall understanding of their health. In emergencies, having quick and easy access to both hard copies as well as digital copies of personal medical records can also be helpful for healthcare providers. Organizing these documents might seem overwhelming, but the right approach makes it much easier—especially when visiting an urgent care Omaha clinic for immediate medical attention.

How Do I Organize My Medical Records at Home?

When should I start keeping my medical records?

You should start keeping and organizing your personal medical information as soon as possible. Every time you see your doctor, or visit a clinic or hospital, it is ideal to request copies of all documentation as it allows you to build a complete patient health history over time.. Upon returning home, file your documents in an orderly fashion. By doing so, you know the information is available should you need to refer to it.

Keeping medical records updated is especially helpful for individuals who visit urgent care Omaha clinics. Walk-in facilities rely on accurate medical history documentation to provide timely treatment. Bringing an organized file can help healthcare providers make quick and informed decisions regarding your care. An organized health document filing system also simplifies managing your health insurance claims and tax returns. This is important when it comes time to file your annual tax return. It is never too late to start your medical records filing system. Therefore, if you are behind, now is the time to get working on it.

How to organize hard copies

First, obtain copies of your personal health records by contacting all current and prior doctors’ offices. If you have not been to visit your doctor for a while, your records may have been filed in their archives. In fact, most doctors’ offices retain patient information for a period of 8 to 10 years after the last date of treatment.

Hospitals are slightly trickier to obtain medical information from. This is because hospitals are less likely to retain information for an indefinite period. Hospitals run the risk of patient medical information being exposed if it is held over an extended period of time. Therefore, you will need to contact the records manager at the hospital to enquire about copies of your records. In some cases, fees for copies of personal medical records may apply. To protect your personal information, you will need to sign release forms and produce identification.

Organize Medical History Chronologically

Filing your personal medical records in chronological order will be most beneficial to you. Bringing a well-organized file to an urgent care clinic in Omaha allows medical professionals to quickly assess past conditions, allergies, and prescribed medications. To do so, file all personal medical information from oldest to most current medical events, doctor’s, laboratory, clinic, or hospital visits. To take it a step further, make sure documents are legibly filed, and color-coded, with doctors, laboratory accounts, and incidentals all organized together. If you prefer to file them per illness, it is up to you. However, make sure to place each family member’s health records in separate storage files.

Create a Table of Contents

A table of contents with all the relevant information pertaining to the documents you have filed will help you for ease of reference when giving it to your new doctor, a caregiver, or to a hospital. The table of contents should include the following:

Date
Description
Attending Doctor / Physician
Diagnosis
Tests Performed
Test Results
Prescribed Action
Prescribed medication
Notes

Digital Storing of Medical Records

Once you have copies of all your records in chronological order, together with a table of contents, you might consider scanning them and storing them digitally. To store files digitally you can use either a USB flash drive or an External Hard Disk Drive. Electronic copies of personal medical records can help protect you in the case of hard copies getting damaged or lost. If you do not have the resources to scan the medical records, you can purchase a USB flash drive and ask a trusted family member or friend to help you scan the documents.

How to keep hard copies of medical records safe

Keeping hard copies of your medical records gives you control over your health and ease of access to your health records. However, you will want to make sure the information is kept safe and secure. To do so, lock the records in a filing cabinet, cupboard, or, in a safe.

Patients visiting urgent care Omaha locations should consider carrying a small folder with essential documents, such as allergies, medications, and chronic condition history. This information helps medical providers deliver accurate and efficient care.

Medical records can be important when it comes to filing taxes. Therefore, having an up-to-date and organized filing system will be of great assistance when the time is due. For further information on the period of retention of medical records for both adults and children, please speak to your tax advisor or consultant, as periods do differ.

Helpful reading: Here’s The Exact Way To Organize All Your Health-Related Paperwork

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